1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a garment for keeping a child warm and, more particularly, to a bag like garment that a small child is placed into to keep the child warm, and that has an adjustable opening and can be attached to a stroller.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It is important for a child's health and well being to keep the child warm when he or she is exposed to cold weather. Cold weather protection for children is important during many types of outdoor activities, such as during sporting events, at outdoor fairs, parades, etc. Strollers are available that include a canopy that provides some protection to the child. However, the canopy attaches to the stroller and does not directly keep the child warm. It also inhibits a parent's interaction with the child.
Parents typically resort to various types of outer protective wear for keeping the child warm in cold weather conditions. For example, blankets are often used to keep a child warm in cooler temperatures. However, the child may tend to kick their legs which may result in the blanket being kicked off, thus exposing the child to the cold elements. If the child is using the blanket in a stroller, wagon or the like, and kicks the blanket off, it may fall to the ground and not be noticed for quite some time. Thus, there is the inconvenience of having to go back and locate the blanket. Also, the discarded blanket may become tangled in the stroller wheels, causing obvious problems. Additionally, more than one blanket is sometimes required. This creates additional items that the parent must carry and also creates more laundry if the blankets become soiled during use.
Snowsuits are another form of protective garment that parents sometimes use to keep their children warm in cold conditions. However, snow suits also suffer from a number of disadvantages, including being difficult and inconvenient to put on the child. Additionally, snowsuits may provide too much warmth causing the child to overheat. Further, the child may feel restricted in the snow suit, and therefore may put up a struggle or become difficult when being forced to wear them. Also, children grow quickly, and thus several snowsuits may need to be purchased over the child's early years. Because snowsuits are typically expensive, there is a significant cost incurred for this type of cold weather protection. Also, when a parent is carrying the child wearing the snowsuit, the child's pant legs may rise up exposing the child's skin to the cold elements.
What is needed is a protective garment for a child that is easy to use, low cost, provides suitable warmth and does not suffer from the various drawbacks and problems discussed above for the known child protective wear. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such a garment.